Head of IEA Roasts Europe for “Slow Electrification”

The head of the International Energy Agency has criticized Europe for moving too slowly to switch homes, transport, and industry from fossil fuels to electricity. Fatih Birol said only about 23% of the European Union's overall energy use comes from electricity, well behind China, Japan, and South Korea, which are all above 30%. He called the slow pace "a major mistake," especially since Europe has faced repeated energy shocks in recent years, first from Russia's invasion of Ukraine and more recently from the US-Iran conflict, which disrupted oil fields and ports and squeezed global fuel supply.

The EU's own energy commissioner has acknowledged that heating, transport, and industry across the continent still depend heavily on imported fossil fuels. Meanwhile, European automakers have pushed to loosen CO2 rules and electrification requirements, sometimes winning those fights, which has slowed the shift even further.

There are signs of a policy response. The European Commission is expected to release plans that would push countries to lower taxes on electricity relative to fossil fuels and offer support for households adopting heat pumps (electric heating and cooling systems), electric cars, and similar technology. For homeowners, especially those in Europe, this points toward electricity potentially becoming cheaper relative to gas or oil over time, and possibly more help for switching to electric heat and vehicles. Nothing is finalized yet, and any changes would likely vary by country, so it is worth watching what your own government eventually offers.